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Let Literacy Begin! Sesame Street Beginnings |
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Our new program opens up a world of words for little ones.
by Barbara Turvett
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When Gina Williams of Rahway, New Jersey, makes a pudding with her 3-year-old daughter, Alana, she tells her, "We need two cups of milk." "Two cups of milk," agrees Alana, as she pours the liquid into a bowl. Later Mom helps Alana drop six or seven strawberries into the pudding mix, "like raindrops falling from the sky."
Alana and her mom are only two of the many parents and kids benefiting from Sesame Street Beginnings, a new program that promotes parent-child communication and language development of children from birth to age 3. Created by the Children's Television Workshop's Outreach and Strategic Partnerships division, this bilingual, multimedia program fosters awareness of the significance of enjoyable verbal exchanges like the one between Williams and Alana.
"We realized we could put together a program to address early literacy for parents and child-care providers who might not have the resources to get this kind of material otherwise," says Jeanette Betancourt, Ed.D., Outreach assistant vice president and project co-director. Thanks to $1.7 million from the Prudential Foundation in Newark, New Jersey, 75,000 kits will be distributed as a free resource to child-care and literacy-boosting organizations. In addition, anyone can order a Beginnings kit for home use (see "How to Order Sesame Street Beginnings," below).
SOME COOL LEARNING TOOLS
The colorful, engaging kit, which has the endorsement of the American Academy of Pediatrics, includes a videotape, audiotape, a guide for early- childhood professionals, information and tips for parents, a poster illustrating "teachable moments," and special bookplates for children—all offered in English and Spanish. "The video features a new human character named Anna and Sesame Street's Luis, along with Telly, Rosita, and others interacting with Baby Natasha and singing in both languages," says Outreach assistant vice president Joanne Livesey, who co-directed the project with Dr. Betancourt. Real parents and their children also appear in the video, including Gina and Alana Williams (then age 2) demonstrating language and literacy activities. The audiotape features new songs like "Born to Learn" and familiar ones like "Rockin' Robin" for adults to sing with their youngsters. Sesame Street characters talk about the songs and how repetition and rhyming help kids learn language.
In addition, the "Parent Pages" booklet offers birth-to-3 milestones for Mom and Dad to celebrate, along with enriching activity ideas. For example, a 2- to 3-year-old may experiment with sounds and make up nonsense words. To make the most of a child's interests and enthusiasm, moms, dads, and caregivers are encouraged to make up fun new songs with their kids as well as sing old favorites over and over.
Sesame Street Beginnings offers children a headstart on literacy. Looks like it's off to a great beginning!
| Here is a sample of activities from the Sesame Street Beginnings: Language to Literacy kit. |
Learning: Any Time, Any Day
- Making chores fun: Let your toddler help you with simple chores, and talk about what you are doing together.
- Playing: Make up simple games around daily routines such as sorting laundry.
- Out and about: Where your child is in a baby carrier, stroller or holding your hand, talk to and sing with her even when you can't see her face.
- Read aloud:
- Make reading a special time for cuddling and talking about books.
- Make a recording of a family member reading a favorite book, so your child can listen and turn pages to follow along. You can even try translating a simple book into another language.
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How to Order Sesame Street Beginnings
Sesame Street Beginnings kits may be purchased, at cost, for your family, day-care center, or preschool. For each kit, send a check for $35 (shipping is included) to Sesame Workshop, Health and Safety Outreach, P.O. Box 55742, Indianapolis, IN 46205. Or click here for a printable order form. |
Barbara Turvett is a Sesame Street Parents consulting editor and a freelance writer.
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